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Location: Omaha | Jeff,
(Warning: more lefty whining and ranting - hah!)
I received an e-mail back this morning from Ovation Customer Service: Still no plans in the works for lefty LX guitars...
...which makes me wonder (since I haven't been an O player for that long); how long did it take Ovation to produce their first lefty cutaway O's after that body style was produced right-handed? Anyone know?
Doesn't help my GAS any - if I knew in 6 months or 12 months (or even 18-24 months!) there would be lefty LX's produced, I would patiently wait. Now I'm thinking, "Why not just go ahead and order what you want in the old bowl/body style?"
Okay - I'm 47; I'm not gonna whine or cry...
:rolleyes: |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Oh sinister one! Have you ordered the #47 Remake in a Lefty model yet? How could they say no?
And consider the rarity! |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | "The extra bling (I consider the 2005-ES a little plain) will be hard to resist."
I have always been partial to the beauty of the Custom Legend, and have had two black ones-loved them both dearly.
The "plain" aspect of the '05 took me by surprise, and I really like it too. Somehow the lack of "bling" I find classy looking. The work around the sound hole is stylish and very cool, without being too ornate. Somehow, the simplicity is striking.
Of course, when a 12 string custom legend LX with a contour is released, I will be overtaken with the shakes. |
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Location: Central Florida | Mike,
The first cutaway Ovations were introduced around 1979-80.
I recall a conversation I had with Kim Keller back in the late 90s in which he told me then they were finally going to start offering lefty cutaways as non-custom orders, with mid-depth bowls only. So, based on that information, it took Ovation the better part of 20 years to roll out the first non-custom ordered lefty cutaway.
Jeff |
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Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by leftovertion:
Doesn't help my GAS any - if I knew in 6 months or 12 months (or even 18-24 months!) there would be lefty LX's produced, I would patiently wait. Now I'm thinking, "Why not just go ahead and order what you want in the old bowl/body style?"
I hear ya, Mike... But why pay top dollar for something that's now considered sub-standard?
I could see it if you happen to run across a new-old-stock item in a store somewhere (you might even be able to wrangle a discount for being "last years model," so to speak). But I sure wouldn't pay '05 prices for technology and developments that have been obsolete for over two years.
Jeff |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Jeff, In all honesty you're best bet is to shop non-Ovation. Martin, Taylor and others can produce LH guitars of any model. They are not bound to tooling for pressing LH bowls, etc. It's a shame. I can feel your frustration, but I can also appreciate the realities of the factory. There is just not enough ROI to get into LH bowls just now. What they DO owe you (or your dealer) is a clear response to "if not now, when?" Dave |
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Location: SoCal | "There is just not enough ROI to get into LH bowls just now
What do french kings have to do with this? |
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Location: Central Florida | Oh, I agree with you ,Dave. I've already been shopping other brands. I've acquired three Martins since May (2 new, 1 used), and, to be honest, I sold a few Ovations to help off set the cost. So, I'm not whining over a lack of availability of quality left handed guitars.
I too understand (to a degree) the realities of the factory's possition. Still, it sucks after being loyally committed to one brand and one company for so long, to suddenly feel that you no longer matter to them. I know it's not personal, but the feeling still sucks. :(
Jeff
PS- "ROI"... Reason or incentive? |
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Location: Omaha | sheesh...only 20 years! Anyone got a Rip Van Winkle pill? (Just kidding of course - it's not THAT big a deal...)
I also understand what you're saying about ordering something that is old technology at today's prices. Unfortunatley, as a lefty - and especially in the mid to upper end acoustic guitar market, that's probably what you have to do; you're just NOT going to run across much out there - even with the internet.
That's what I did with my L777; ordered it right after the LX's were introduced. I haven't A/B'd mine with a LX1777, but I'm pretty happy with the sound of mine - both plugged and unplugged.
So the debate is whether to spend the extra $$ to get some bling like this thread is bragging about (how's that for trying to swing back after hijacking the thread?!).
What I'm interested in is a 1773 - a Legend nylon string, customized with a spruce top painted black. But right now the price puts it a little out of reach. However, since it would be a 'custom order,' and would take over 6 months for them to build, I'd have some time to collect the money for payment (after coming up with the 50% down payment up front, of course).
That's all...
:rolleyes: :cool: |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I would suggest that the "old technology" still produces a great-sounding guitar!!!!
The LX and the deep contour bowl are very nice flavors of ice cream...but the old standby flavors of non-LX and mid-bowl still do taste good. If Mike can't wait for the lefty LX or lefty deep contour bowl, then a nice lefty in his choice of what is available sounds like a good idea to me.
A guitar in your hands that you can play is worth two that will be available next year.
Roger |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | "ROI".....Return On Investment.....
Roger |
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Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by leftovertion:
I also understand what you're saying about ordering something that is old technology at today's prices. Unfortunatley, as a lefty - and especially in the mid to upper end acoustic guitar market, that's probably what you have to do; you're just NOT going to run across much out there - even with the internet.
Mike,
I swear I'm not trying to go on an anti-Ovation rant here (as I'm anything but), but the truth is, there are PLENTY of mid to high end options out there for leftys, you just have to be willing to think outside the (round) box to find them. At first, I didn't want to have to consider this either. Geez, I've played nothing but Ovations for over 35 years. I still kinda get that feeling like I'm cheating on my wife whenever I play any acoustic guitar other than an Ovation. But it's going on three years now since the LX upgrades were introduced and still no leftys. And Ovation's silence on the subject leads me to believe it's probably going to be a loooooong time before they finally show up. As for a lefty contour bowl, I frankly doubt we'll ever see that. As Dave said, Martin and Taylor make some exquisite left handed guitars.
Jeff |
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Location: SoCal | Why don't you people all give some thought to the reissue of #47? Easy enough to special order the bridge to be cut for a lefty.... |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Thank you Paul. You are much more eloquent and detailed than I was. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Just understand that Ovation vs. Marlor in this discussion is not an apples to apples comparison in each companies willingness to make LH guitars. Marlor can make LH guitars a HELL of a lot easier than Ovation can. If Ovation could add a few lefties into the production line as easily as Marlor can, I'm sure they would do it. |
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Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by Old Applause Owner:
I would suggest that the "old technology" still produces a great-sounding guitar!!!!
The LX and the deep contour bowl are very nice flavors of ice cream...but the old standby flavors of non-LX and mid-bowl still do taste good. If Mike can't wait for the lefty LX or lefty deep contour bowl, then a nice lefty in his choice of what is available sounds like a good idea to me.
A guitar in your hands that you can play is worth two that will be available next year.
Roger Hey Roger,
I agree with you 100% about the pre-LX Ovations. They're top quality, and I hope nothing I said implied anything different. I was simply making the point that as a matter of principle I (personally) wouldn't pay LX prices for a non-LX guitar, anymore than I would pay the price of a Custom Legend to buy a Balladeer.
Jeff |
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Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by Standingovation:
Just understand that Ovation vs. Marlor in this discussion is not an apples to apples comparison in each companies willingness to make LH guitars. Marlor can make LH guitars a HELL of a lot easier than Ovation can. If Ovation could add a few lefties into the production line as easily as Marlor can, I'm sure they would do it. I know that's true, Dave. I also know I'm sounding more and more like a man on a rant about this so I'm not going to pursue the issue any further. To put it in a positive context, let's just say that the current state of lefty Ovations has forced me out of my acoustic guitar comfort zone and allowed me to broaden my outlook. In the end it's all just ice cream anyway, right?
Jeff |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Hypothetical conversation between Jeff and Rick Hall:
Jeff - "So, Rick, when will you finally announce left-handed LX and Contour bowl Ovations?"
Rick - "About 1 week after you buy your lefty Martin."
Dave |
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Location: SoCal | re: "Easy enough to special order the bridge to be cut for a lefty...."
then they should be able to do it for the OFC Adamas also... |
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Location: Massachusetts | How different are the necks between the 05 and the CL?
As you know the 05's seem to have very skinny narrow necks which really bother me. Old O's had a fat v neck which are comfortable.
Are these the same lousy necks or is the CL fatter?
Just frustration talking. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Corvairfan,
Sounds like you might want to find an old Adamas II. It would be in your price range and has the fat V neck that you like. A 1537 would be another good choice that has a good feeling neck.
I am sure someone in the OFC could help you out if you ask around. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | It's all an illusion. I've measured the frigging things and the neck on the 05 an on the CL are exactly the same width. And they are exactly the same width as my older Ovations and Adamas necks. What's different is depth (thickness) of the LX necks. Plus maybe the string spacing is a little narrower, but I've taken conflicting measurements on that one. Dave |
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Location: Anchorage, Alaska | I've measured them both as well and found them to be the SAME!!! It is an illusion for sure though. My 2005 feels "skinner" than my ADII but it measures the same. I'm using it to my advantage now. I practice for a while on the 2005, then take one of the other "O's" and it feels like I have a super wide clasical type neck. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Have you measured the depth (thickness) of the neck 05 vs. ADII ??? |
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Location: Omaha | Jeff,
Not trying to reopen the "ol' wound" again, just wanted to comment that I'm coming at this from a very different place than you are, having been a "wood snob" guitarist for many years who only recently was won over to Ovations. I have two Larrivee's that I love and will never part with. I'd like to have either an all mahogany 'Larry' or Martin. In the past I also had a Lowden - if they weren't so expensive, I'd love to have another one; definitely another nice flavor of ice cream.
I find it difficult to believe that building reverse bowls could be all that difficult in this day. And why not come out with a non-cutaway LX bowl? Then it would be very easy to have at least a few lefties, and isn't there still some market for non-cutaways? A nice non-cutaway nylon string might tempt me...
Is Rick Hall or anyone from Ovation reading/listening? Charlie, have you left the building? Where's that entrepeneur spirit?
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What's Black, has Lots of Abalone and a Contour Bowl ?
